Our Angel Ella

Phoenix Children's Museum = BEST PLACE EVER!

2011-07-18T14:40:00.000-07:00

My new favorite place to take Ella is the Phoenix Children's Museum. I went there with a couple of friends and their kiddos. It was a blast! Ella was pretty quiet most of the time, just taking everything in, but I can tell that she thoroughly enjoyed it. Her favorite parts were the kitchen area where her and Charli went "grocery shopping" together. She also made a St. Patrick's Day craft since we were there on St. Patrick's Day. I can't wait to take her back!

Carson helped her out putting the balls in.

Concentrating so hard.

Ella running through the Noodle Jungle.

Ella loved the 3 and under room. This ball maze was there and she was mezmerized!

Wheeee!

Spring Break

2011-07-18T14:26:00.000-07:00

This Spring Break was a wonderful and much needed break. It was very different from last year's break. At that time Ella was still very much an infant, she slept a lot and was being held all of the time. She didn't even crawl yet. This break was much different. We went on a TON of walks, went out to lunch, colored, played outside and tons of other fun Mommy/Daughter things. It was an amazing break with time spent with my even more amazing daughter! Love her!

Ready to go for a walk!

Cracking up because she is feeding me her snack.

Coloring with the super cool crayons Miss Laura made for her birthday.

Playing IN the sand table. Not with it...IN it.

Getting ready to go to a super chic 16th birthday party for Haley.

On another walk.

Lunch with her daddy.

And ANOTHER walk.

February 2011 - 15 Months

2011-07-15T14:27:00.000-07:00

Jimmy and I went to our friend Amy's beautiful wedding. This was the first time Ella was every left with anybody but her grandma's. My wonderful friend Stephanie watched her. They had a great time. She loves Ms. Stephanie! As you can see though Mom and Dad weren't too thrilled about leaving her.

LOVE this picture. Ella will hide in the cupboards and yell, "Ella, Ella!" when she wants you to play hide and seek with her. It is so cute to see her little hands and feet poking out. She thinks she is the greatest hider of all time!

She also likes to just sit and eat her snack in the cupboards sometimes. She empties it enough so her little bottom will fit right inside. I don't know what face she is giving me here though!

Outdoor Girl

2011-07-15T14:23:00.000-07:00

Ever since Ella was very young we always knew she was an outdoor girl. If she was ever cranky we could take her outside and it was like pressing a "reset" button on her mood. She could stay out there FOREVER. Well, it is still a little chilly in February and Ella doesn't care. She just wants to be outside, no matter what. She especially loves to play soccer out front or roam around the backyard. Of course, rather than be comfortable and stay inside we all just go with it. How could we not? Look how cute she is!

She loves playing with dirty old buckets. It is a struggle to keep her out of the dog's water buckets. Eww.

January 2011 - 14 months

2011-07-15T14:09:00.000-07:00

Ella and one of her favorite dolls "David."

She got to help out at our lot in Surprise. She chased her dad on the tractor until he stopped to pick her up!

Ella insisted on being in the backpack while dad vacuumed. By the time he was done she was out. How do you fall asleep when you are that close to a running vacuum?!? Notice Riley is out for the count too in the background.

Show me your teeth!

The coolest chick around.

Days With Grandma

2011-07-15T14:04:00.000-07:00

Ella missed her grandma so much over my winter break from school. Here are some shots that grandma got of their fun times together while watching her during the day.

She loves feeding the horses and petting them.

She is thinking, "Wow my cousins are just as crazy as me!"

Our little Evil Kenevil

Making a gourmet rock meal for the dogs.

E-i-e-i-o

2011-06-25T17:19:00.000-07:00

Ella was invited to a super awesome party for Chase's 2nd Birthday! It was a farm animal theme. They had a petting zoo meet us at the park and we rode on a hayride to get to the park. Ella had a ton of fun and now I want to live on a farm...or at least have horses and chickens again! Most of the animals were really small so Ella was not too intimidated by any of them. Her dad on the other hand almost lost it on a llama! There was a llama and a goat that were getting a little too pushy with her for his comfort level.

Thanks to Nicole Rimsza for taking these shots and sharing the pics.

What's going on piggy?

A Day in the Desert

2011-06-25T17:08:00.000-07:00

Jimmy and I decided to take Ella exploring in the White Tanks. We didn't see any animals unfortunately but we did find a lot of neat rocks and a snake shed. Oh, and my leg did an excellent job of finding a cholla cactus. Ouch! Ella loved exploring the desert and she was exhausted on the way out. It only took about 3 minutes for her to fall asleep in the truck.

Carrying her Abby Cadabby pail to hold all of her treasures.

December 2010 - 13 Months Old

2011-06-04T14:47:00.000-07:00

Who...me?

Dad likes to take Ella to "play with the gophers" on their bike rides.

Grandma got Ella some pretty cool kicks...Converse!

What a LAZY eater.

Daddy likes to put her on animals...dead, alive, doesn't matter. Geez!

Ella has taken over the tupperware cabinet and plays with it all.

We love our little reindeer.

Ella's 2nd Visit from Santa!

2011-06-04T14:40:00.000-07:00

Christmas at the Messner household is so much fun now with Ella! Ella is too young to remember or know Santa yet but her Mommy and Daddy sure were excited about it. It was so funny that Jimmy and I could barely sleep and were so excited the night before and Ella had no clue it was different than any other night. Christmas morning, Ella woke up in a somewhat cranky attitude. I was videotaping her coming out of the room kind of whiny and when she saw the mound of presents that good ole' Mr. Santa Claus left she stopped in her tracks. It was a wonderful morning watching her open each present and get so excited. Again, I would still have to say that Jimmy and I were a little more excited than her. She is so much fun!

Grandma Messner must have known Ella LOVES her baby dolls. Ella is trying to hug her and kiss her before she is even out of the box!

Christmas Breakfast Break

Mullins Family Christmas

2011-06-02T08:09:00.000-07:00

It was another fun year at my parents house for Christmas. It is so exciting now with Ella to watch her open presents and interact with her cousins. It was a lot different than the year before when she was only about 6 weeks old. This time, Ella was able to run around with her cousins, open her own presents from Santa, grandma and her cousins and could eat all the yummy food! We are so lucky to have such a wonderful and big family. It makes the holidays fun and very special. We hope everyone enjoyed their holidays with family and friends too!

Santa knows that Ella loves to crush cans with her daddy.

Our little jazz musician on her Woody harmonica.

Her cousins got her a Minnie bag filled with Minnie goodies like this awesome car. Ella is amazed!

Showing dad her pretty tutu Aunt Jaime got her.

Taking a much needed break.

I can't tell if Hunter likes his presents...

The boys put on a rock concert with their new guitars. We had to have tickets for admission to see the show and Briley was their manager who introduced them and collected the tickets.

A Christmas guitar medley in the horse corral.

The encore presentation inside.

Too cool.

As usual at my moms, there were games in which I did not win. But we were still happy for the lucky winners..I guess. Bah-hum-bug! Ha ha

I don't remember what Aunt E was up to in this picture but she looks guilty!

Bossing great grandma around.

Showing off her spitting abilities.

Awww...the Messner stockings at mom's house.

Christmas with Jimmy's Family

2011-05-31T15:22:00.000-07:00

Jimmy's mom moved to Colorado this year so it was a wonderful treat for Ella when her and Grandpa Mark came out to Arizona for a Christmas visit. She loves her Grandma and Grandpa so much! It was a very nice visit and we are so glad they came.

Wore out

I had to add this one...we are never in any pics!

Ella loves her new vest from Grandma!

Bubbles with her cousins. They are so sweet to her!

Little Reindeer

2011-05-31T13:57:00.000-07:00

Last year, a few of my friends with children a little older than Ella and I got together around the holidays and took some very cute Christmas pictures of all of our little reindeer kids. We decided then that it would be a tradition to get the kiddos together for a picture each year. It is always a blast getting them together. Even though Ella is younger than them all, she still enjoys chasing them around acting like she is a big girl. I can't wait to do it again next year!

LAST YEAR

Christmas 2009
Carson, Noah, Ella and Charli

Christmas 2009
Ella and Charli

THIS YEAR

Christmas 2010
Carson, Charli, Ella and Noah

Merry Christmas!

2011-05-31T13:51:00.000-07:00

Christmas Pictures

2011-05-31T13:49:00.000-07:00

The holidays were coming up so that meant it was time for another photo shoot! We had Stephanie take our pictures this year for our Christmas card. We went to a park at Marley Park here in Surprise. We brought a ball and bubbles to keep Ella entertained. She didn't cooperate all that great with looking at the camera but she did good for a one year old. Here is a sneak peak at some of the pics. Enjoy!

Ella looks like a sweet little Christmas angel in this picture. It reminded me of when my mom found out I was pregnant. We were kind of doing math in our head and at first thought I would be due in December and my mom said, "Oh we will get a Christmas angel." Then I broke the news that it would be November and she said, "Well then, we'll just get a turkey!" I think we got a mix. She is a funny little turkey but also a sweet angel at the same time. Love her!

November 2010 - One Year Old

2011-05-30T13:03:00.000-07:00

Ella's new obsession is rocks. She loves to throw them, pick them up, stack them, anything!

Our TALL girl can reach in the drawers now. Uh oh!

Ella's snack of choice is cheese and crackers.

She is also quite the fan of the sink. She loves to play and bathe in there when she can.

The left-over ball pit from her birthday party. Wow, what a mess.

Her One Year Dr. Visit. She was healthy, developing right on track and still tall.

Meet Me At The Park!

2011-05-30T12:57:00.000-07:00

Ella is quite the social butterfly and I think that is mainly why she loves the park. I don't know if it actually a social butterfly thing as it is possibly a "nosy" habit, but either way, she loves people.

When we are at the Surprise Park, there are usually so many people and I just follow her around. She really gravitates more toward the older kids. I think that may be because all of her cousins are a bit older. She will follow them around and try to interact with them by sticking her hand out or mumbling something. The Surprise Park also has a lake with ducks. That is usually fun for Ella but not so much for me or her dad because she screams when we make her leave the lake or won't let her dive in and swim with the ducks!

Sarah found an amazing neighborhood park not too far from our house. That is my new favorite park for Ella. It is just the right size and has great slides and is very clean. On this particular park day it was freezing outside so we didn't stay long. Ella could have stayed out there all day with her friend Carson if I let her. Thanks for playing with us Carson!

Thanksgiving 2010...Gobble Gobble!

2011-05-30T12:51:00.000-07:00

Now that Ella is a year old, we are done with all of her "first" holidays. So, this is her second Thanksgiving and it was a lot different than the first. Last year at Thanksgiving she was just a few weeks old so she stayed asleep in her mommy's arms for most of it. Oh how times have changed. Now that she is a big one year old she is moving on! At my parents Thankgsiving, the first picture below was the only picture I could get of her. After she saw her cousins and grandma outside, that was it. She was out for the day!

Then, it was much the same at Grandpa Frank's Thanksgiving. We played basketball with the boys after eating and it was so hard to get any pictures of Ella because she just wanted down to play basketball too. Here are a few of Ella with her dad and cousins.

Happy Thanksgiving! We were most thankful for Ella, our health and having family together this year. It was a wonderful day. I'm looking forward to many more amazing days with my family.

Welcome to Ella's Birthday Clubhouse!

2011-05-30T12:43:00.000-07:00

Super Cheers! Ella is one years old!

I cannot believe that our angel baby is already a year old. It literally seems like a few weeks ago when on November 13th (Friday the 13th) my water broke while at home. We were so excited then but really had no clue what we were in for. Then on November 14th early in the morning Ella Justine Messner finally made her way into the world. This last year has been the best ever as I was blessed with the most amazing little girl. Constantly, people tell you how fast your kids grow up but never did I realize how much that would mean to a parent. She's walking, running and playing all on her own and we just can't believe it. She is only one and has already made her lucky parents tremendously happy. She brings so much joy to everyone she encounters. Ella is a happy girl who loves to laugh and play. She sings, dances and is kind to everyone. This last year has been a blast! I cannot wait to see what kind of wonderful person she becomes! She is growing up so quickly that I won't have to wait long to find out!

Of course, to celebrate this amazing little girl we had to throw a big bash. Check out Ella's Minnie Mouse 1st Birthday Party!

A parent from school made these amazing cakes! She even surprised me with the smaller cake.

My friend Theresa Purtyman made this awesome Toodles cake. It is so spot on and it was DELICIOUS!

I hope everyone enjoyed themselves at the party because I know Ella did. She loved playing in the ball pit and with the bubbles. She also kept hugging a lot of her guests. It was a great day to celebrate a wonderful year with a sweet and precious baby girl. We love you Ella Justine! Happy Birthday!

October 2010 - 11 Months

2011-05-28T13:55:00.000-07:00

Being silly with dad's hat on

Getting her to eat is always an epic battle. Here is a rare occasion where she is munching some food.

At the Sonoran Heights Fall Festival

Big Blue Eyes

"Ella, show me your teeth!"

Sweet Pea

I had to get this shot because she just looked so old to me!

Giddy Up Mom

This is Ella's favorite book "Fern the Fairy" from Grandma. She loves to help Fern find things to become a real Fairy.

Trick or Treat!

2011-05-28T13:20:00.000-07:00

Boo! Happy Halloween!

Ella is almost a year old and this is her very first Halloween. She is Minnie Mouse (of course). And it was super cute because her very best friend Carson was Mickey! We weren't going to see each other on Halloween night so we got together with Carson that morning to take some pictures of the cuties together.

I kept with my tradition of going with Matt, Jaime and the kids for Halloween in their neighborhood. Ella had so much fun following her cousins around. She went to her first house and got candy and once the lady put the candy in Ella's perfect pink pumpkin, Ella tried to give the candy back to her. Aww, my little Minnie Mouse is so sweet!

It shouldn't be surprising that dad ended up wearing her ears. He always ends up with bows in his hair/hat, etc.

Park Buddies

2011-05-28T13:02:00.000-07:00

We really love spending time with Carson. So, we met him at the Surprise Park for a fun play date. They played on the playground (Ella followed every stranger possible wanting to play), they played soccer in the grass and then Ella tried to steal Carson's drink and snacks. That's a typical play date with Ella!

Ella's First Zoo Trip

2011-05-28T12:58:00.000-07:00

Now that it is cooling off a bit, we decided to take our little monkey girl to the zoo. She had a lot of fun. Her favorite part of course I think was just being outside. She is definitely an outdoor girl. She really liked the ducks. The petting zoo animals were pretty over-powering and just plain rude! I think she needs to be a little bigger to shove them around just as much as they were shoving her around...darn goats. Ella was also pretty mesmerized by their new aquarium. It was so much fun getting out and having a day with the family!

Taking an ice cream sandwich break.

Daddy made the goats leave her alone.

Birthday Preparations

2011-05-28T12:52:00.000-07:00

I remember a much more practical me at one point (before Ella) saying, "I won't have a big birthday party for my kids for their first birthday. Just a small family thing...they won't remember it anyway." Awww..that was so cute and naive. How could I not realize what a freak I am about parties and theme kinds of things? Well, here it is. We are getting ready for Ella's "small family get together" aka Biggest Bash EVER!

Ella really enjoys Mickey Mouse Clubhouse so I am planning a Minnie Mouse theme. Stephanie was so kind again to take pictures for her invitations. Her daddy is even helping me with craft stuff for the favors. I can't wait for it all to come together. Of course I will post pictures.

Toy Box

2011-05-28T12:43:00.000-07:00

Ever since Ella was able to pull herself up on her toy basket, it has been so exciting to see what she would pick out and play with. I loved watching her get her tiny hands in there and pull out something that seemed to dwarf her in size and make her grunting noises as she lifted it out with pure excitement. Well, those delicate days are over. Ella now climbs into her basket, empties it out completely and makes a MESS all the time. It is still quite amusing, just not so sweet as there is constantly a mess for me to pick up.

It is amazing that something this sweet and little can make such a giant mess in no time at all!

Playground with the Grandmas

2011-05-27T12:42:00.000-07:00

Ella is the luckiest baby ever to have so many wonderful Grandmas around her. She is especially spoiled with love, tons of attention, and fun things to do all of the time. Here is another fun day with the Grandmas at the playground!

A Day At The Farm

2011-05-26T13:39:00.000-07:00

We had to utilize Ella's cute cowgirl boots somehow so we took her to a farm. We went to Tomalchoff Farms where they had a Fall Festival for families.Sarah and Travis brought Carson and Felipe and Amber brought their precious baby Cristian. It was so much fun. Ella's favorite parts were the corn maze, the three little pigs houses, a "corn box" (like a sandbox with corn) and all of the animals. I can't wait

to go back next year! Thanks for the great pictures again Steph!

Carson says he's going to huff and puff and BLOW his house down!

This was her least favorite part. I think she was DONE at this point.

The farm is just down the street from Papa's work so of course we had to surprise him.
She loooves her Papa!

First Trip to the Pines

2011-05-26T13:35:00.000-07:00

We haven't been camping yet but we did get to take a day trip up to Flagstaff in September. Jimmy was picking up his elk meat from the processor so we decided to tag along. Ella was fascinated by the pine cones, all of the fun dirt and huge trees. I knew she would be an outdoor girl!

September 2010 - 10 Months Old

2011-05-26T13:32:00.000-07:00

Helping dad blow up a pool for the backyard.

Ella loves to go on walks and smell the flowers. She also likes to pick them and put them in her basket.

Her lips pursed out like that is her "smelling" them. Too cute!

I don't know what prompted the turned up nose look but those eyes just make my heart melt!

Playing soccer is almost a daily routine for us. Ella loves it, especially when dad plays.

This was a walk on a windy day. Wheeeee!!!!

First Splash Pad experience. We just drove by and found it which is why she is still in her clothes. She had a blast chasing another girl around.

New Cowboy Boots = Photo Shoot With Steph!

2011-05-26T13:25:00.000-07:00

Ella got some flashy, new, pink cowboy boots from Target. Of course, this prompted another photo shoot with the one and only Stephanie Smith. Here are some of the shots!

August 2010 - 9 Months Old

2011-05-25T14:42:00.000-07:00

August is always a stinky month because I have to go back to work but Ella likes it because it means weekdays with Grandma again!

"Helping" Mom set up the classroom.

Thank Goodness for Lauryn helping distract Ella with her Mickey Choo Choo!

Aww...it was a LOOOOONG Summer without Grandma.

Tail-gating waiting for me to come home from work.

Waiting to see who comes by the front door. I think she has picked up some bad habits from the dogs!

Her new ride that Grandma got her.

She always has to play with the rocks at Grandma's. Line them up...then throw them back!

Whooo Hoooo Papa!

Fun-day Monday with the Cousins!

Look at the happy girl.

More of Summer 2010 Catch Up

2011-05-25T14:23:00.000-07:00

Ella had some other special days and special moments with family and friends over the summer. Ella is all about having fun, laughing and playing around!

Helping Grandma clean up while mommy paints the bedroom. Can't you just hear Popeye saying "Well blow me down!" when you see this pic? Or...is that just me?

Staying inside out of the hot sun

This was a very kind friend to us this summer, ice cold and refreshing!

Momma's always shopping

Notice that Carson and Ella match Mickey and Minnie? Red for him and pink/white for her!

Another summer staple: sippy cup and tank tops

Ella loves giving the dogs at Grandma's treats. All 4 of them are "Wilbur." Wilbur must be her favorite!

Charli and Ella at the mall. Hmmm...checking each other out!

Dirt time at Grandma's!

Water Day with the cousins

Loves the water!

Ella and Vaughn. Imagine the blue eyes of their future children! Wow! :0)

Summer 2010 Recap

2011-05-25T14:13:00.000-07:00

Summer's in Arizona are a little too hot for a little baby so we had to get pretty creative with ways to have fun but still stay cool! After bombarding other people's pools (Thanks Aunt Alicia, Miss Stephanie and Miss Monica) we had to find something else to do. We quickly found out that Cabela's was way cheaper than the zoo, the animals don't ever move out of sight and it is air conditioned! You can't beat that! Enjoy the pics of swimming and Ella's new found love; Cabela's.

4th of July!

2010-10-02T16:45:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July!

Toys Toys Toys and More Toys

2010-10-02T16:42:00.000-07:00

Ella LOVES toys. She always has to be carrying something or playing with something. She is a busy body just like her daddy. It is so fun now that she is more independent to watch and see which toys she chooses to play with. She has a toy basket in the living room and I love seeing her fish around in there to decide what she wants to play with next.

She also thinks that any kitchen utensil or anything that comes out of the kitchen is her toy as well. That includes the dishwasher! Ella likes to "help" mommy with the dishes by trying to climb into the dishwasher. She really loves the tupperware cabinet as well.

Father's Day

2010-10-02T09:24:00.000-07:00

Slowly but surely, I will catch up with this blog.....

Happy Father's Day!

Father's Day was a very special day in our house. Ella is so attached to an in love with her daddy and the feeling is mutual. It is so amazing to see Ella's face light up when she sees her daddy and Jimmy's face light up when he sees Ella. He's so protective of her the poor girl never had a chance. Sorry boys! She's not allowed to see you until she's 30...or later!

On Father's Day we hung around the house and let daddy be as lazy as he wanted to be. Ella loves taking a nap with her dad. She also loves helping him do chores and likes going to work with him.

Ella and I in daddy's truck while he weeds the lot

Ella at daddy's work not wanting to be changed.

Daddy and his baby girl

For some reason this saying has just stuck with me, I think it is because it was so true with Jimmy. It was something like,"A woman becomes a mother the day she finds out she is pregnant and a man becomes a father the day the baby is born." Of course this isn't true with everybody and there are many different circumstances, etc. I think it was even from a silly movie like Juno or something, but I feel like this was true of us. My whole world changed when I found out I was pregnant. I still remember that day and the feelings that came over me and I was forever changed instantly. (Sorry Steph for ditching you and making you go to Vegas alone that day!) I feel like Jimmy had those same feelings the day Ella was born. That was the day his whole world changed and he became so enamored with this little girl. They are amazing and both are so special to me. Just like they are so incredibly special to each other. Love you both!

Dr.'s Visit

2010-08-22T13:32:00.000-07:00

Ella had a shot visit at 7 months since I am spacing her shots out to only get two at a time. At 7 months she was 17.10 ozs. and still tall in the 98th percentile for height!

While we were waiting, she kept on smiling and making faces with another baby sitting next to us (see the first picture). Of course I was going picture crazy so she finally looked at me like, "Are you done yet mommy?" (cue the second picture!)

Then we finally got called back and lo and behold we got a Mickey Mouse room! Ella LOVES Mickey Mouse (Oh Toooodles!). No, this was not by force it just happened. She was cracking up at all of the Mickey's on the wall and it made for quite the pleasant shot visit. One nurse even looked shocked when we were on out way out because Ella was still smiling away and he commented on how happy she was after her shots!

Bike Rides!

2010-08-22T12:54:00.000-07:00

This little chick LOVES being outside. Ever since she was a newborn, if she is upset you just take her outside in the sunshine and it is like hitting a "reset" button on her mood. When it is cool enough, we try to take her outside as much as possible. We had recently been given two bikes by a customer of Jimmy's and Jimmy was really wanting one of those little baby trailers that you hook up to the end of a bike but he wasn't liking the idea of not being able to see her. While he was at Wal Mart one day he came back with a pretty cool contraption! It mounts to the bike in front of the driver and it had a 5 point harness and seemed pretty safe. The one bad thing is that I cannot find a helmet for a baby of her size so she can only ride with daddy because I think she is safer that way. Here are some pics of one of her favorite activities to do outside!

7 months

2010-08-22T12:46:00.000-07:00

I know I know...Ella is 9 months and I am just now posting her 7 month picture! Yes, I am running WAY behind on posts. AND, I have been keeping track of everything I need to blog on a handy dandy piece of paper and that paper has mysteriously disappeared (after daddy cleaned up the desk/computer area). Hmmm. Well, here it is. Oh and a story goes along with this one too.

Here is the first shot that I got...happy Ella, smiling away with her beautiful teeth.

Here is the second. KABOOM! Right on her pretty little face. Lots of crying came after this and I felt terrible. I wasn't that far from the chair, probably just an arms reach away but I wasn't quick enough and down she went. Poor girl.

Move Over Malibu Barbie...Ella's on her way!

2010-07-07T10:34:00.000-07:00

The Great Walker Debate!

Jimmy and I debated back and forth about a walker. So many books now advise against using a walker due to lack of building up muscles developed through crawling and of course safety reasons. Jimmy gave a good argument and lo and behold, Ella has a walker. She does not spend a lot of time in it but enjoys the time that she does. The steering wheel comes off so you also have the classic tray to put toys on, etc. I think her favorite part of this jeep was helping her daddy build it!

Happy Memorial Day!

2010-07-06T10:26:00.000-07:00

A Day With New Meaning

2010-07-06T10:23:00.000-07:00

This is the beautiful and amazing baby I woke up to on Mother's Day morning. I didn't just realize then but I realize each and every morning how lucky I am to be a mom...to be Ella's mommy. She has brought so much love into my life and I can't even remember my time without her. My heart just melts and life feels complete when she gives me a hug or says "ma ma ma" and reaches up for me. Mother's Day before was all about honoring my mom and recognizing all that she unselfishly does for her kids. I think when you become a mom yourself you have even more respect and honor for your own mother as this mother's day I did think of my mom as before but also thought about all that she has taught me about being a mom myself. I hope everyone gets to grow up with a mom as wonderful as mine and I hope I can be that mommy to Ella.

Small child, once you were a hope, a dream. Now you are a reality. Changing all that is to come. A love to hold our hearts forever. -Charlotte Gray

Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother. -Lin Yutang

Summer Fun

2010-05-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

I am super fortunate to have a job that I have two months off every summer that allows me to stay at home with the baby. It has been a week so far and we have had a lot of fun. She misses Grandma though so I've taken her to see Grandma twice this week with more visits to come. It is definitely going to be hard to leave her again when summer ends but I am trying not to think about it and just enjoy these weeks I have with my wonderful daughter.

Our first week of summer:

Eating lunch at McDonald's with Grandma, Hunter and Briley. She loves them!

Playing on the floor with mommy.

Shopping with Ms. Stephanie and mommy at Kohl's.

We take Moqui for a walk each morning...it is getting hot though so we need to leave a little earlier in the morning!

Dr.'s Visit with Daddy and Off the Charts!

2010-05-29T14:33:00.001-07:00

Usually I am lucky enough to have had my mom with me when we go to the dr.'s appointments. This time though, Jimmy was able to take time off of work to come with us. Ella was excited when she woke up in the dr.'s office and saw daddy's face peeking in at her in her stroller.

The visit went well. She is doing everything they would expect her to do at 6 months. She can sit up, she's eating veggies, she stands while holding our hands, grasps things very well, babbles, etc. One thing that isn't so typical is this girl's height! I will share her "stats" below. She also got one shot and one oral at this visit. It seems like we are always doing shots since I have spaced them out to get two at a time but I am happy with that decision so far. She has handled everything very well.

Ella's 6 Months Stats:

Weight - 16 lbs. 14 ozs. - 52nd Percentile

Height - 28 inches - 97th Percentile

(She's going to be patting my head before you know it!)

6 Months!

2010-05-29T14:27:00.000-07:00

My little 6 month old ham. I can't believe she is 6 months! She has grown so much. I have enjoyed every second that I have been blessed to spend with her. She is amazing!

Last week with Grandma

2010-05-29T14:17:00.000-07:00

Ella's last week with her grandma babysitting was fun and filled with visitors. It just worked out that relatives were in town and also my mom was watching the boys another day so Ella got to spend time with a lot of very fun people.....which includes Grandma too! :0)

My mom and Ella played Beauty Shop!

Grandma and Marty visiting with Ella.

Aunt Loretta from Texas was in town and got to meet our precious angel baby.

Ella loves to spend time with her "boy" cousins.

They are such great babysitter helpers!

Ella also had her Grandpa Jim and Grandma Della visiting from California. I cannot believe I didn't take a single picture of them with her while they were here. I thought of it the morning they left and was so upset at myself about it. Hopefully they will be back soon! She loved visiting with them, they are wonderful!

Teeth and Food

2010-05-29T12:06:00.001-07:00

Around 5 1/2 Months Ella's gums really started to bother her. If she put a hard toy in her mouth and it hit her gums just right she would cry in pain for a few seconds. Shortly after, her first tooth came in. It was her bottom left tooth. Then very shortly after that, her second bottom tooth came in and now at 6 1/2 Months, her top tooth is coming in. She only seemed a bit feverish and fussy once or twice through the tooth cutting process (I was expecting much worse). She never gives me a good shot of her pearly whites so this picture is the best I could do. It shows how SOMETHING has to be in her mouth at all times whether it is her hand, foot or a toy!

At 6 Months, I also started feeding Ella vegetables. Sarah showed me how to make it. We've only made one batch so far. We made carrots, sweet potatoes and butternut squash. The squash is her favorite. She ate them well right away but I need to mix a little rice cereal and formula in with the veggies or else it is too much for her baby tastebuds to handle. I think I am going to do some green veggies next.

Straight veggies are a bit too much for her!

Ahh, much better!

Bath Time = Fun Time

2010-05-29T11:54:00.000-07:00

Ella still very much loves bath time. She has three toys during bath time: a surf board, a turtle and a mama polar bear with a baby bear on her tummy. She loves all of her toys and she especially loves to look at herself in the mirror while taking a bath. She will splash the mirror and then "kiss" herself in the mirror. It is too cute!

Hair Bows

2010-05-29T11:48:00.000-07:00

I have a little obsession with hair bows. For some reason, whenever we go somewhere I have to have a hairbow on Ella and it drives me nuts if I can't find one to match an outfit. Rediculous? Yes! However, I can't stop myself so I just go with it. She seems to not mind (yet) so I am going to take advantage of it while I can.

Toys and TV

2010-05-29T11:44:00.000-07:00

This little girl LOVES toys! She can play with toys for a very long time. She likes any kind of toy especially ones that she can fit in her mouth! The good thing about this stage is that the toys stay in one area and it doesn't take me forever to clean them up (I am a bit of a clutter freak and everything has a place and needs to stay in that place). Boy am I in for it when she can run around and scatter her toys across the house! I am just hoping she is as neurotic as me in that sense....ha ha ha.

Sometimes when she is playing the TV will be on Sesame Street or the Disney Channel. She likes Abby Cadabby on Sesame Street (or I like her, either way she's cute) and she gets a kick out of Mickey Mouse's Clubhouse (or she laughs at me because I sing and dance to all of the songs, "Hot Dog!") I don't think the few minutes of TV watching a day she does will do any damage as some may say. The colors are pretty to watch and the songs are great too!

Being this close to the TV may do damage though, geez! She just rolls all around our living room and sometimes ends up in some strange places.

Out and About...

2010-05-29T11:20:00.001-07:00

It took a while to get used to it but now being out and about with Ella is much easier. I wanted to post some pictures of places that we have been "out and about" to. Ella is such an easy baby and just kind of goes with the flow. She is very good in the car and usually falls asleep. She does well in her stroller if we go shopping but I think I am ready to try out the floppy seat since she can sit up now. I'll post pictures of that when we try it out...I can't wait!

Ella and Daddy at Sarah's house for dessert egg rolls.

They were yummy!

Travis holding the coolest dude around, Carson, at Macayo's.

Ella sucked on a spoon the whole time, she did pretty good.

Ella and I at Sonoran Heights Spring Auction BBQ. She had a great time and let everybody hold her. It was a bit windy and cold

so her daddy came to pick her up early.

Grandma and Great Grandma took Ella for a shot visit. She only cried for less than a minute and that was it. The day after this shot visit she did get kind of feverish which was a first for her. We ended up giving her Tylenol and she was back to her usual happy Ella-self.

My friend Kristen had a baby! I saw pictures and Baby Gabriel is adorable and perfect! Ella came to her baby shower with me before she had the baby. It was so nice to see Kristen's family since I haven't seen them in a while. She looks so great pregnant!

5 Months

2010-05-29T10:56:00.001-07:00

I'm a little late but here it is!

2010-04-21T21:50:00.000-07:00

On our Babies R Us shopping trip this past weekend we got Ella a new toy. She is becoming such a big girl that she always seems to want to be standing up. Jimmy really wants to get a walker but I'm just not ready for that. I've heard/read negative comments about them regarding safety, etc. and I'm just probably being an over-reacting new mommy. So, the compromise was instead of a bouncer, we get her this toy. She can push herself in a circle with her feet around the stand up toy. When Jimmy was putting it together when we got home she fell asleep. The next morning when she woke up, I took her out to see Grandma and her eyes caught a glimpse of the toy and then she was locked on! Her eyes got really wide and she couldn't wait to grab a hold of all the toys. Of course, she immediately tested out the ones that can bend and make it in her mouth. So far she is really liking it and it seems to be a toy that will grow with her as she discovers new toys on it and discovers new abilities that she has.

By the way, the hairbow in this picture was made by my friend Lisabeth and her daughter Lauryn. It is so cute on little Ella and I have already thought of outfits to go with it. I'm sure pictures will follow later!

Weekend Fun

2010-04-21T21:31:00.000-07:00

Having Ella around has given me a new found appreciation for the weekend. Don't get me wrong, I always enjoyed a day off here and there but before her, I was mostly working on those days off. Now though, I steal every last second I can get with her. Needless to say, we make the most of our weekends and have a ball doing it.

Ella and her friend Carson. She had a fun time playing with his water table outside and watching him play with all of his big boy toys!

Mommy and Ella

Taking a snooze. Tired girl.

Gauge loves to give Ella kisses (when he can sneak one in).

Moqui does NOT like Gauge giving her kisses!

Daddy and Ella

We went shopping for a new toy for Ella at Babies R Us. Ella wanted out of the carseat while we shopped and then Jimmy put her back in. We were almost to the car so we placed her in the carseat for a short walk to the car without being buckled (under a very carefully watching eye as her dad promised me). She thought it was the coolest thing ever. The first picture is of her looking at these kids walking by. It seems like she is saying, "Hey, look what I get to do!"

She had a little bit too much fun breaking the rules! We better watch out.

She threw her pacifier in the car so she settled for her foot again. She loves throwing things now which is oh so fun for us!

Beautiful Eyes

2010-04-21T21:26:00.000-07:00

Although Ella can't talk yet, she says so much with her beautiful blues. Even if she has a pacifier in or is playing with a toy that is covering part of her face, you always know how she feels or can just tell what she is thinking. Luckily, most of those emotions that she shares with us are happiness or laughter and even delight (as she often mixes in a squeal with her smiles). We are so lucky to have a healthy and happy baby. Seeing her joy makes us joyful in return and full of love for our little one. I can't imagine what life would be like or what life was like without those beautiful blues.

Special Grandma Days

2010-04-21T21:21:00.000-07:00

Ella is one lucky little lady because she gets to see her Grandma every day. My mom comes over to Ella-sit Monday through Thursday and Jimmy's mom on Friday's. She gets to do really fun things with both Grandma's. On very special days, Ella gets to see her Great-Grandma too. She loves all of the attention and love she gets from her Grandma's. Here are some pictures that I get sent from my mom while I am at work. It is so fun getting to see her at lunch when I get the pictures!

Ella loves watching her dogs.

On a nature walk with Grandma.

Soaking up all of the love from Great-Grandma!

Mommy's Day Off

2010-04-21T21:06:00.000-07:00

I took a day off recently since grandma had a meeting and couldn't babysit the angel. We had such a great day. It was so nice to have the day with Ella just to relax, do what we wanted to do and just be together. Here are some pictures of our day together.

Ella and I took Moqui for a walk. He loves to stop and "mark his territory" on every piece of grass or bush he can find. I think Ella was sick of waiting. Her arm in this picture looks like she is waving him on. I am sure if she could talk she would say, "Come on Moqui! Let's go!"

After our walk she was ready to cuddle. I was waiting for this moment all morning. I love rocking this little chick to sleep. It's the best!

After her nap she didn't have her pacifier so she made a modification for that!

We went to Kohl's to find a gift for a baby friend but of course found a cute 4th of July dress. We don't know what we are doing but we know she will look cute whatever we do!

Then we played in her room when we got back. Yes, her big girl crib is still not being used at night time. We only play in her big girl room still. I don't know when I will be ready to let her sleep in her own room. I love waking up and seeing her there in her bassinett next to us. Maybe that will be something I can work on this summer. I am sure she would sleep just fine in there. It's mom that needs the reassuring.

Ella is growing so fast. I just love and cherish every moment I get with her. Having this whole extra day to spend with her was pure bliss.

Ella's Easter

2010-04-21T20:45:00.001-07:00

Ella's first easter was a wonderful day. We had a busy day ahead of us so we woke up early to discover what the Easter Bunny had left for her. She loved the toys, books and hair accessories he got for her. I think she thought the basket was more impressive though! It could have been empty and she would have been just as pleased.

After we enjoyed Easter breakfast that her daddy made, we went to church with Jimmy's family. It was a very nice service and Ella slept through most of it however she did wake up towards the end hungry for a bottle. Jimmy and I stepped outside to feed her because it was packed that morning!

After church we went to Grandpa Frank's house for dinner and then stopped by my parents house on the way home where we got to see some of Ella's cousins too! It was a wonderful day surrounded by the family that we are so blessed and thankful to have.

Happy Easter

2010-04-03T21:30:00.000-07:00

The amazing, wonderful and talented Stephanie Smith came over today and spent her Saturday taking Ella's pictures. She did a wonderful job and Ella loves showing off her smile to her! Here are some of the pics that she took. Thanks Stephanie! You are AWESOME!

Happy Easter Everyone!

Love,

Ella

Lazy Bone

2010-04-03T21:22:00.001-07:00

On the weekends during outside chores, Ella will sometimes go in the front or back carrier with either me or her daddy ("She has to pull her weight around here too!" her daddy says - ha ha ha). Last weekend, she worked so hard during chore time that she fell asleep on the job! She was talking and talking her dad's ear off in the garage and then we noticed it was quiet for a minute so we checked on her and she was sound asleep. Sleeping on the job already!

Happy Shots

2010-04-03T21:17:00.000-07:00

Grandma and Great Grandma took Ella for some of her shots last week. I was sad that I couldn't be there (I had to work) but knew she would be very well taken care of and cuddled a lot by her Grandma's. Well, as you can tell from the pictures that were taken afterwards, they must have given her the wrong shots! She looks like she got happy shots from the doctor!

New Developments!

2010-04-03T21:07:00.000-07:00

Ella has had so many new developments just in the last two weeks! She is eating rice cereal now and she is quite the pro at it. She was so excited to be eating with a spoon the first time and she is such a great helper that she tries to feed herself. She loves her spoon and rice cereal!

Ella also can now suck on BOTH feet with ease. The left foot was a lot easier to get into her mouth and now the right must taste just as good.

She has been able to roll over but now she is rolling over a TON! She loves going from front to back and back to front whenever she has the room.

She also finally got that dragonfly in her saucer in her mouth. Grandma has a picture of it, I will get it from her soon and post it.

Ella still loves the outside world so very much. She loves walks with her Grandma's!

Spring Break at the Pool and Park with Buddies

2010-03-19T22:37:00.001-07:00

The first part of Spring Break this year was spent indoors because both me and Jimmy were sick. So, when Ella's friend Carson called and invited us to the park on Thursday we were excited to get out of the house!

Ella can't wait to be walking and chasing after Carson!

Since Ella is putting everything in her mouth these days, she got a biteful of grass. Silly goose!

Friday we went to the pool with Ms. Stephanie. Ella had a great time. There were some boys that were pretty rowdy so we didn't get in or splash our feet or anything but she still enjoyed soaking up the AZ sun.

I love the pic of her and Steph. She is sooo hamming it up (Ella, not Steph!).

This is Ella getting ready to try out her other stroller. She thought it was funny.

I have enjoyed being home for Spring Break with Ella. It was nice spending time with her and it is wonderful having a job that gives me so many days to spend with my girl!

Rolling, Bouncing, Slobbering and Sitting...Oh My!

2010-03-19T22:12:00.001-07:00

Now that Ella is gaining more strength and head control, etc. she can do more things like rolling over, bouncing in her Jenny Jump Up and sit more comfortably in her Bumbo seat. All of those things are fun! One not so pleasant new addition is the SLOBBER! This girl slobbers like she's thinking about a sweet tart all day and puts just about anything and everything she can get her hands on in her mouth. Thankfully, I have been able to limit those things to appropriate teething toys, etc. but I have to keep an eye on her! She really enjoys shoving the dragon fly wings in this pic in her mouth. We also keep a bib on her a lot so she doesn't soak her shirts so much with all of that slobber. It is quite messy. I am so not looking forward to this teething phase!

Sucking on her dragon fly friend.

Sitting up in her swing.

Rolling over for daddy.

Sitting up like a big girl (with the help of her good friend Ms. Bumbo).

Free at last! She loves the freedom of standing, bouncing and swaying in her Jenny Jump Up!

A Trip to the Dr. for St. Patty's Day

2010-03-19T22:04:00.000-07:00

Ella's 4 month appt. happened to fall on St. Patty's Day. She of course, wore green, but didn't need to get pinched either way. We decided to hold off on her shots for this visit for another week or so since both me and her daddy have been sick. I don't want her getting shots if she is fighting something off or her get a fever and we relate it to the shots and it is actually her getting sick. So, it was a quick and easy appointment but here are her stats: She is very strong and healthy. She can now start eating rice cereal (oh my gosh..she's too old!). She weighs close to 14 lbs and is 25 inches long. Go Ella!

She slept on the way to the dr.'s office. This was her face when she woke up in the waiting room. "We are where!?!"

This is what happened when Ella partied too hard for St. Patty's Day.

4 Months!

2010-03-19T21:58:00.001-07:00

Here it is! Ella's 4 month old picture in her chair. For me, it seems like from 3 months to 4 months has brought about the most changes in a 4 week span ever. She rolls over now, plays with her toys and they go from one hand to the other, plays with and sucks her feet/toes, laughs much much more and plays independently too. It is amazing how much she has changed! It is so fun to be with her for each new experience and to see her face as she learns new things. She's a very bright baby and I just couldn't love her anymore.

It Has Started Already....Daddy's Girl

2010-03-19T21:40:00.001-07:00

Uh oh, Ella is already showing signs of being a major daddy's girl. She loves spending time with dad and lights up whenever he is near her. She cracks up at the littlest things he does. I was sick for a few days and had to "keep my distance" from her for a while and that just made it worse! She started to get sad if Jimmy left the room. He loved every minute of it I'm sure. They are two peas in a pod! So adorable.

Our friend Derek gave us this backpack. Jimmy has been talking about getting one for so long now. He can't wait to take Ella hiking. Thanks Derek!

Jimmy's way of getting things done and still holding the babe.

Oh, silly dad. Ella just hams it up for him though. It is fun to watch.

Babysitting & Routines

2010-03-19T21:25:00.000-07:00

Being back at work has been really hard but Jimmy and the Grandmas make it so much easier. Ella loves spending time with her Grandmas. It seems that everyone has a really great routine going. Our morning routine goes like this: mom gets up and gets ready. When Ella wakes up, she gets pulled into the vanity area and watches mom do her hair and makeup. After Ella is awake, we jam out and sing to soft kind of music like Glee, Wicked, Taylor Swift, James Taylor and other various tunes. When dad is ready or when grandma gets here, Ella gets out of her bassinett and into their arms ready for her day. I hold, kiss and hug her before I leave. I still don't like leaving her in the morning and can't wait to hold her all day long but we are so incredibly lucky to have the support that we do. Thank you Grandmas for watching the babe and loving her too!

3 Months - Month In Review

2010-03-19T20:30:00.000-07:00

It has been a month since I have posted and a lot has happened! Ella has been doing new things everyday and is still of course just as wonderful as always. I am going to do a quick catch up in a "Month In Review" posting for her 3rd month.

Ella loves to go on walks either in a carrier or in the stroller. She goes with grandma most days and talks to the birds and talks to grandma throughout the walk. This picture is of a walk she took with mommy. It was kind of chilly out so it was a short one but it is always nice to get out of the house!

Ella was invited to her friend Charlianna's first birthday party. Charli's party was great and she was so cute dressed in a little purple tutu and a crown. Ella had a nice time visiting there with her friend Carson too!

This "before" and "after" really cracks me up. As she is getting older, we are getting out some new toys for her. The picture on the top is Ella's first time in the saucer that her Great Grandma Ruby got her. She really didn't know what to think about the dragon fly in front of her. The picture on the bottom is a few times later. She is enjoying it more but her arms aren't quite long enough to reach all of the toys...especially that darn dragon fly she wants to grab. If only her arms were as long as her legs she'd get it!

Okay, okay...I know. We should probably have Ella in her crib sleeping at night by now. She still sleeps in the bassinet in our room. In our defense, she sleeps all night long and is not a bother! I LOVE having her next to me and can't imagine when I'll be ready to have her in her room...far far away. Come on, look at that face. That is what I get to wake up to each morning. LOVE IT! I think our Riley dog also enjoys the view! :0)

I mentioned that Ella would be happy if her arms were as long as her legs. Here are a few pics to show you just how long her legs are! One of them in there is just of her face but it is too darn cute to not include. She loves standing on her legs now too (with support of course). She gets so proud of herself and smiles and squeals with delight as she shows off her strong, long legs. The pictures of her sleeping in her boppy seat are just so funny to me...she's all scrunched up but somehow still looks so comfy. The one with her little foot poking out of the blanket is one of my favs.

It is funny to think that this is the same baby that 2 months ago absolutely LOATHED tummy time. She shows off a bunch now.

Silly Girl Laughs

2010-02-14T14:30:00.001-08:00

I caught Ella giggling during our Valentine's Day "photo shoot." I dont know how to flip it around but her sounds are too cute. The best one is around the 11 second mark. She's a silly goose!

*Sorry for my loud mouth being in there but mommy likes to play too!

Happy 13 Weeks and Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T14:22:00.000-08:00

Goats!

2010-02-14T14:14:00.000-08:00

Grandma Rebecca's goat had two cute little babies! We took Ella over there this weekend for some sunshine and a goat visit but she slept most of the time. She woke up as we were leaving and she was put on Daddy's shoulders to lead the way with her pointy little finger. Sooo cute!

3 Months

2010-02-14T14:09:00.000-08:00

Ella in her chair at 3 months old! I can't believe 3 months have passed by. She is still the most amazing thing ever and we love her so very much. It is indescribable how much joy she bring us and we can't remember what it was like without her. It still amazes me that she is finally here and I love to watch her with her daddy. I love my family!

Working Mommy = Sad Mommy + Bottle

2010-02-14T13:59:00.000-08:00

Prior to me going back to work Ella kept refusing to take a bottle. Normally, that would not have mattered because she is a breastfed baby but I was trying to prepare her for when I returned to work. Here's Ella with our first successful bottle after a week or two of refusing one. I had to trick her with playing with the bottle and then her pacifier. We went back and forth until finally we got it!

I went back to work last week and it was the hardest thing ever. I am so blessed to be able to have my mom and Jimmy's mom watch Ella while I am at work. Since they are here I never worry but I sure do miss her like crazy! It is getting easier with each day (thanks to my wonderful group of students who are just the best and Ella's awesome grandma's!) but when I get home I never want to let her go! She is changing so fast and does new things it seems like every day and I don't want to miss anything, not a single moment. Luckily, teachers get a summer break so we are looking forward to spending that time together.

Our First Dolly

2010-02-14T13:47:00.000-08:00

Aunt Jaime got Ella a cute dolly for Christmas. Ella LOVES her dolly. She gives her kisses (sucks on her face) and holds her in the carseat. Ella likes to hold on to somebody or something while she sleeps in your arms and we caught a cell phone picture of her snuggling with dolly. Thanks Auntie Jaime!

Monkey-ing Around!

2010-02-14T13:38:00.000-08:00

I've posted pictures to the blog before of Ella playing in her "jungle gym" as I like to call it. As she becomes more interactive with her friends in the jungle gym she enjoys it even more. She first would kick the post to make all of the friends jiggle around and make noise. She especially loves the noise "Calli the Caterpillar" makes. Here is Ella playing and holding onto "Molly the Monkey." She started grabbing at them around 10 or 11 weeks. All of her friends have double l's in their name like Ella; Ellie the Elephant, Lilly the Lion, Molly the Monkey, Calli the Caterpillar, and Gilly the Giraffe.

Copycat

2010-02-14T13:34:00.000-08:00

Ella cracks up when I stick my tongue out at her and she loves to mimic mom too!

....Flowers In Our Hair

2010-01-27T17:05:00.000-08:00

So many people were so wonderful and Ella received many beautiful and unique gifts. I never knew how many crafty people I had close to me! This flower headband was made by a student's mother at school. She actually made the tu-tu Ella wears and the one hanging on her wall. So talented! Stephanie and I had fun with these pics! :0)

E Outfit

2010-01-27T16:56:00.000-08:00

Grandma Della bought this cute outfit for Ella when she was born and we have been waiting to wear it until she fit into it. Well, she fits into the rest of it now but her little thunder chunky thighs make the leg holes a bit too tight. It is still WAY cute! Thanks Grandma Della!

Little Feet

2010-01-27T16:51:00.000-08:00

Stephanie came over last night and took some pictures as long as Ella would tolerate it before her nap. Here are some pictures of Ella's little baby feet. Her toes and feet look just like her dads. They are busy feet just like her dad too!

Baby Blues

2010-01-27T16:32:00.000-08:00

Ella's eyes are a wonderful light blue. Both Jimmy and I have blue eyes and most of my family has blue eyes. It will still be a while before we can say that her blue eyes will stay permanently blue but I have a feeling they will. I love LOVE looking into her baby blues!

Bath Time - 10 weeks

2010-01-27T16:27:00.001-08:00

One of Ella's favorite activities is still bath time with her daddy. I think they both equally enjoy this time together. They have a good routine going and sometimes when I help I am told I need to "stick to feeding!" Jimmy is so funny and it is neat to see him as a daddy and thoroughly enjoying every minute he gets with his baby girl.

Second Shot Visit

2010-01-25T15:01:00.001-08:00

Ella had her second set of shots this week. She did wonderful, as always! They also weighed her again. With her clothes on she was 11 lbs. 15 ozs.

Playing Dress-Up

2010-01-16T18:57:00.000-08:00

When mommy gets bored, we get to play dress-up!

I am sure she will be asking me to play dress-up before I know it!

2 Month Checkup

2010-01-16T18:53:00.001-08:00

Ella had her 2 month checkup at the doctor's office on Thursday. She now is 23.5 inches long and weighs 10 lbs. 15 ozs. That puts her in the 55th percentile for weight and the 90th percentile for height! She is going to be a tall one!

She also had to get her immunizations at this visit. I opted to space them out so we only had to get two. We get two more next Friday. She cried so hard...it is so awful to have her cry like that. She has done pretty well since then. She was a little bit fussy that night and the next morning but who could blame her. Let's just say she was a little extra spoiled for a while!

8 weeks!

2010-01-11T15:32:00.000-08:00

Each month I take a picture of Ella in her chair and here is her 2nd month's picture! I posted the 1st month's picture underneath for comparison. What a wonderful last 8 weeks it has been and I am looking forward to many many more. She is an amazing blessing.

Jungle Gym Fun

2010-01-11T13:05:00.000-08:00

Ella loves anything that plays music. She has a "jungle gym" as we call it that has a giraffe that plays music. This is her favorite toy at the moment during play time!

Mean Old Brenda and a Heel Poke

2010-01-11T13:00:00.000-08:00

My mom and I took Ella to get her second newborn screening last week. I had been dreading this moment because I was not looking forward to seeing her get poked with a needle. Well, we were very unlucky to get "mean old Brenda" as a technician. Poor Ella was crying through the whole thing as Brenda was not very gently doing her job (aka...torturing my baby). THEN, when it was all over I was holding and consoling Ella and Brenda just said, "You can get up now." I took that as our cue to leave and I faced Ella towards Brenda and said, "That wasn't me Ella, that was mean old Brenda!" Very mature, I know. I was not a very good role model at the time but she was rude. ;0) I am quite positive too that I would not have liked anyone who was doing that to Ella. So, I'm sure "mean old Brenda" gets it all the time!

Ringing in the New Year!

2010-01-11T12:53:00.000-08:00

Right after the New Year Ella turned 7 weeks old! Awww...she has already changed so much! I am so very excited for what 2010 has in store for our new family. 2009 gave us the greatest gift we could ever imagine so we can't wait to enjoy that gift and have a wonderful 2010!

We rang in the New Year with Sarah and Carson! They are going to be great friends.

Tummy Time Protesting

2010-01-11T12:46:00.000-08:00

Ella used to love tummy time but lately she has been "protesting" as I like to call it during this time. She flails her feet, kicks and whines. I think she is a bit spoiled and wants her mommy to hold her ALL the time! Here is evidence of her "protests" during tummy time.

What a Big Girl!

2010-01-11T12:41:00.000-08:00

Ella and I were hanging out in her room playing and I wanted to get a few things out of the closet. Now, she normally naps in this chair/bouncer thing, the bassinet/pack-n-play or the swing sometimes but this day I set her in her crib so I could get what I needed from her closet. Well, after just a few minutes she was asleep. This was Ella's first time actually using her "big girl crib." A lot of you know how much begging and convincing I had to do to get this crib so you can understand my excitement! ;0)

Daddy's Favorite 6 Week Old!

2010-01-11T12:39:00.000-08:00